Talion
by dnachemlia
Summary: One year after a brutal double murder, the men responsible are being eliminated, one by one. The killer leaves a message for the MCRT, one that is hauntingly familiar.
1. Prologue

**Talion**

Genre: AU/Crossover/Supernatural/Suspense/Angst/Romance

Warnings: Dark, disturbing imagery, adult themes, character death, violence, and foul language (quite a bit of it)

Disclaimer: Don't own, just playing, yadda yadda

There will be some elements added from the movie (mainly the beginning), but it's more faithful to the book, particularly for the role of The Crow. There will be a lot of jumps back and forth in time. Specific memories will be in bold italics, and dialogue in brackets belongs to one particular character (the Crow).

* * *

_Last night I had a revelation  
Somehow I have to make you pay  
It's all about manipulation  
And what it takes to get my way  
I don't believe in soft solutions  
No one makes a fool of me  
Without receiving retribution  
No one hurts me and goes free_

_Bring You Down_

_by Red Delicious_

_**Prologue**_

_*** Devil's Night***_

Red and blue lights flashed, sending strange, frenetic shadows across the landscape, turning the normally quiet area into a low-grade house of horrors. Lt. Hook stepped out of his unmarked vehicle and scanned his eyes across the scene.

_What a fucking mess…_

He walked towards the perimeter and met the eyes of the security officer.

"What do we have, Albrecht?"

"One dead, one nearly and on the way to the hospital." The rookie was looking a little green, but Hook didn't have time for coddling.

"Any witnesses?"

"No, just the guy who found them. He's over there with Torres." Albrecht pointed to a middle-aged, balding man who was looking more than a little green. "He said he saw the broken down car, stopped to help, and when he saw the couple he called 911."

"Wonderful." Another set of violent crimes to add to the year's skyrocketing total. "The victims?"

"Man and a woman. Looks like the woman was raped, probably multiple offenders, and then shot in the head. At least I hope that was the order." He shuddered slightly and then blushed when he realized the inappropriateness of that comment and the weakness he has just shown his superior. "The man was beaten, stabbed, and shot in the head. I can't believe he's actually still alive."

_Probably not for long_, thought Hook. Just then he saw the head CSI walk over to the woman with one of their fingerprint scanners. After the M.E. gave her permission he carefully placed one of the dead woman's thumbs on the device and waited. He looked at the display and nodded before rising and walking over to Hook.

"Hey Cap…sorry, Lt. Hook. I got an ID for you."

"I really hate when you do that, Brenner." The man just smirked in return. "Who is she?"

"Shelley Webb. Her prints are on file because she's a teacher. No record otherwise."

"Damn."

"Yeah."

"We get an ID on the guy yet?"

"I sent Officer Carter over to Mercy with the other scanner. He better not break it." Suddenly the men heard a ring tone. "Must be him, now." He peeled off his outer layer of gloves and answered. "Brenner. Yeah? OK. Got it. Yeah, he's here, I'll break the bad news." He hung up and faced Hook. "We're about to get company: the guy's a fed."

_Ah, Christ, that's just what I need…_

"FBI?" asked Albrecht.

"No. NCIS. Their MCRT is on its way."

_Perfect…can this day get any worse?_

XXX

_***one year later***_

As the sun slowly started to sink towards the horizon, a quiet, subdued figure made its way across the cemetery, carefully maneuvering around the array of tombstones until it arrived at its destination. The figure, a woman dressed in a long black coat and carrying a black lace parasol, bent to place a small bouquet of flowers at the base of one of the stones. After staring at the marker for a few moments, she spoke.

"Hey. It's me again. I thought you might like these. Well, I hope you would…but I don't know, since I really never knew you. I like to think I would have, eventually…but I guess I'm just left with my imagination, huh?"

She sighed and turned to the adjacent stone, placing the other bouquet she carried at the base of the marker. She then crouched down and stared at the inscription, the pain she had felt the moment she learned her friend was gone arising anew.

"I know you'll like these. They are your favorites, right?" She swiped absently at the tear that had started to fall. "I'm sorry I haven't been around much, but…it's just been so busy at work and…you know how that goes, don't you?"

She was silent for several minutes as she reached out and traced the letters carved into the granite. "I just miss you so much…" A few more minutes of silence and then she spoke again, a touch of anger in her voice. "How could you leave us like that? It's not fair…It's never fair: Kate, Paula, Jenny, and then you. Why did this happen? And why couldn't we get the guys who did it?" Receiving no answer, she finally rose to her feet and wiped her face with one black-gloved hand. "I'm sorry. I know…I know if it was up to you, you'd be here."

She looked up at the darkening sky and sighed. "I guess I better get going…see you later. I promise it won't be so long until the next time."

She started to walk away when a fluttering sound behind her caught her attention. She turned and saw a large black bird perched on the stone. It stared at her with dark eyes that seemed to reflect more intelligence than a member of the avian race should possess, and after meeting her gaze for a few moments, it bent down and casually pecked at its perch.

"Stop that! Shoo!"

It looked up at her again, obviously unimpressed with her instructions.

_Weird…_

Finally it gave one loud _caw_ and flew off, winging its way towards the darkening horizon. The woman watched until it disappeared from view and turned her gaze to the quickly gathering storm clouds. Her brow crinkled in consternation.

_I should get back to work_…

She quickly walked to the parking lot outside the gate, climbed in her roadster, and headed back towards the city.

XXX

As the sun finally sank below the horizon, blackness covered the sky and the heavens opened, turning the ground around the stones into mire. The storm raged for hours, and as the church bells tolled midnight, the ground in front of the newly adorned stone started to shift. Soon a pale appendage broke the surface, followed by another, dragging with them from the sodden soil the rest of a mud-covered, shaking figure.

The figure was clad in a black suit, with the coat and shirt slit up the back, revealing pale, filth spattered skin beneath. It pulled itself free from the earth, rolled onto its back and emitted a long, agonized scream, raw and almost primal in intensity. The piercing cry echoed through the graveyard, seemingly answered by countless voices.

As the echoes finally died away, the figure rose to its feet and stumbled towards the cemetery gate, disappearing into the darkness.

tbc…


	2. Chapter 1

**Talion**

Genre: AU/Crossover/Supernatural/Suspense/Angst/Romance

Rating: FR18/M for violence, language

* * *

Chapter 1

Ziva glanced across the bullpen at her teammate and barely managed to cover an indulgent smile. The young man sitting at his desk was normally rather calm and collected, his face not often displaying strong emotion, but today he was different: happiness, nervousness, and carefully reined in excitement paraded across his features in an endless loop as his thoughts repeatedly strayed from the work at hand.

She was fairly sure she was the only one who knew of the reason for McGee's distraction, and knew that he would prefer to keep it that way, so she checked for witnesses before she carefully made her way over to his desk to keep him from blowing his cover.

"So, tonight is the night, yes?" she said in a low voice in his ear as she leaned over his shoulder and tried to make it appear as if they were discussing what was on his computer screen.

He nodded and turned to her, a brief flash of panic crossing his face as he met her gaze.

"If we don't get a call out."

"We just have to hope your luck will hold. I know you have been planning this night out for some time. I am sure it will be very special…for both of you."

"What if…what if she says no?" He frowned as that scenario obviously played out in his mind.

"Then she would be a fool." She smiled as pink tinged his cheeks. "I cannot imagine that she would not accept."

"It's just…I've had such bad luck in the past. I've never made it this far with anyone before. What if it's too soon? What if she feels like I'm pushing? What if-?"

"What if she says yes? From what you have said, I think she has been just as eager for you to ask her as you have been." She patted his cheek. "You have been dating for nearly a year and a half. You started looking at rings months ago. Trust me, you are _not_ pushing." She watched his hand drift unconsciously towards his pocket and chuckled softly. "Mordecai assures me that no woman can resist his creations. You have that on your side as well."

Her partner blushed again. "Ziva, I'm sorry, I never remembered to thank you for introducing me to your friend. He did a really nice job with my idea. It's…perfect."

"May I see it?"

Both agents looked around to make sure the rest of their team had not returned and McGee carefully reached into his coat pocket to retrieve a small jeweler's box. He opened it to reveal the piece inside and Ziva let out a soft gasp.

"It is beautiful. I do believe that is some of Mordecai's finest work." The ring was platinum, with a delicately etched band, and the setting was in the form of an infinity symbol with small diamonds encircling two brilliantly cut sapphires.

"I know diamonds are more traditional, but sapphire is our birthstone. We share the exact same birthday. Did I ever tell you that?"

"Yes, you did. Perhaps it is another sign that you are meant to be together."

He closed the box and put it back in his coat pocket before turning to Ziva with an adorably goofy smile. "She said the same thing."

"She is a smart woman, then. Smart enough, I am sure, to accept your proposal." She saw the uncertainty in his eyes and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "You have nothing to worry about, my friend."

"Except that we might have to go out on a case."

"It is almost 1900. You should be able to leave soon. You reports are complete, and you have made some good progress on your cold cases, yes? I believe Gibbs will allow you to leave at a reasonable hour."

"He will." Both agents looked up to see Gibbs walking towards his desk with Tony only a few steps behind. "Go on, McGee. Get out of here." Gibbs met Ziva's surprised gaze and smirked. She quickly hid her own smile as she realized she wasn't the only one who knew of McGee's plans.

"What about me, Boss?"

"Are _your_ reports done, DiNozzo?"

"No, Boss. I'm on it."

McGee chuckled softly at the exchange as he grabbed his coat and backpack. "Thanks, Boss. See you tomorrow. All of you."

"Have a good night, McGee."

Ziva watched as her friend headed for the elevator with a definite bounce to his step before she returned to her own desk to finish her report. She had every confidence in McGee, that he would receive the answer he desired, and that finally they would have something to celebrate.

XXX

_***one year later***_

Ziva dropped her bag next to her desk and slowly lowered herself into her chair. A brief glance at the calendar brought a cruel tide of memories: it was difficult for her to believe that an entire year had passed since she had last seen her friend alive. She allowed her gaze to wander to his desk, and the sight of the changes that had been made to it left a bitter taste in her mouth. The current occupant was already hard at work with an aura of diligence that reminded her strongly of his predecessor, but there the similarity ended. Special Agent Stephen Rocco may have been McGee's replacement but he had failed to take his place. No one could ever do that, Ziva mused. Ever.

The ringing of her desk phone pulled her from her somber thoughts and she reached across her desk to answer it.

"Agent David."

"_Oh, uh, hello. My name is Harvey Wincott. I'm one of the groundskeepers for Oakview Cemetery. I, uh…we have a situation here, and your name is in our records as a contact person for the site affected, Lot 734."_

Ziva an unpleasant feeling settled in Ziva's stomach. She knew to which site the man was referring, but she did not know why there would be a problem with it.

"Yes, that is right. What is wrong?"

"_Well, I noticed this morning, it appears the site was desecrated…vandalized."_

A bolt of anger shot through her and Ziva sat up straighter in her chair.

"How bad?"

"_It's, uh…it's bad, ma'am. There is a lot of damage. I called the police, but something like this is not exactly high on their list of priorities. I saw in the file that you work in law enforcement, and—"_

"I will be there as soon as I can. Do not touch anything and do not allow anyone else to access the site. Is that clear?" She looked up and saw that Tony had arrived and was watching her with a concerned expression on his face.

"_Yes, Agent David. Thank you."_

She slammed the phone down and grabbed her coat and bag.

"What's going on, Ziva?"

"I…we need to go to a crime scene."

"What offense?" asked Rocco.

"Vandalism," she growled and started for the elevator.

"That doesn't exactly sound like a _major_ crime, Agent David," he said with a slight air of condescension that he sometimes used when Gibbs was not around, and which never failed to set her teeth on edge.

"What was vandalized, Ziva?" Tony had picked up on her tightly controlled fury, even if Rocco hadn't.

"Oakview Cemetery, Lot 734."

Anger sparked in Tony's eyes when he realized the significance of the location. "Let's go."

Rocco stared it them, confusion plain on his face.

"What's so special about some cemetery plot?"

"It belongs to a former member of our team," Tony replied through clenched teeth. "And he should have been able to rest in peace."

"But—"

"You heard him, Rocco. Gas the truck," Gibbs ordered as he rounded the corner.

"Yes, sir…uh, Agent Gibbs." Rocco scrambled to comply and Gibbs turned to his other two agents, their anger mirrored in his expression.

"Why would someone do this, Gibbs?" Ziva asked as she fought to control her emotions.

"Dunno, Ziva. Guess we better figure that out."

XXX

_***one year earlier***_

Tony slammed the sedan into park before killing the engine and forcing his door open with a squeal of protest from the hinges. He quickly climbed out and shut the door with greater force than he normally would have used, but he was distracted by his goal. He dashed through the parking garage to the closest exit with Ziva following close behind, as intent on reaching their destination as her partner. They found an elevator which thankfully included a directory and pushed the button that would take them to the Emergency level. Once the doors had closed and they had started to ascend, he turned to his companion, forcing down the fear he had been keeping at bay since Gibbs' phone call a few hours before.

"He'll be OK, Ziva. Gibbs hasn't called to tell us otherwise. No news is good news, right?"

Tony and Ziva, along with Ducky and Palmer, had gone to the scene to work with the local police, while Gibbs had gone to the hospital to check on their teammate. That had been hours ago, and after they had secured the evidence from the scene that they had been able to collect, they had rushed to the hospital to be with the rest of their team.

"I wish I could believe that, Tony. You heard what the officers at the scene said."

Tony's stomach began to churn at the reminder. Said officers had expressed surprise that McGee had survived to be taken to the hospital. His companion hadn't been so lucky.

"Probie's a fighter."

"What if he believes he has nothing left for which to fight?"

"He still has plenty left, Ziva."

"But his… Shelley is gone. He may not survive that."

Tony winced. He hadn't known the whole story behind the mystery woman in Tim's life, and certainly hadn't known just how close he was to her. He felt like kicking himself for not maintaining his reputation as an investigator. He should have known how far McGee had progressed in the relationship, but he hadn't. And now there was nothing he could do.

The elevator doors opened and both agents stepped out, immediately searching for a familiar face. After checking at the information desk, they were directed to another wing of the building and as the rounded the corner of the hallway, they caught site of Gibbs leaning up against the far wall, his head bowed.

"Boss! How's Tim…?" Gibbs raised his head and when Tony saw the look on his Boss' face, he felt as if a chasm hand opened in the floor beneath him. Tony had only ever seen that expression a few times in his career, but each instance was burned into his memory. "Oh, no…"

Gibbs glanced towards a door about halfway down the hall and took a deep breath before he turned back to his agents. "McGee…he didn't make it."

Tony barely registered Ziva's soft gasp of horror as he automatically headed for the door that had drawn Gibbs' attention. He didn't even hear Gibbs calling him as he reached the door and looked inside. Two nurses were removing tubes and disconnecting monitors from their former patient, and one of them looked up as Tony stepped into the room.

"Sir, you can't be in here, the police..." Silently he held up his badge. "Oh, I'm sorry, sir. We'll be done here in just a minute and…" She apparently noticed his expression. "Was this…one of your people?" He managed to nod and she glanced up at her coworker, who tilted her head towards the exit. "We'll give you a minute."

After they left Tony slowly walked over to the gurney and stared down at the battered and broken form of his partner. He raised his hand but stopped, unable to touch the pale, still face.

"Oh God, Probie…" The anger that had been simmering in his gut expanded to a full rolling boil as he took in the damage that had been inflicted upon his friend. "We're going to find the sons of bitches that did this to you, Tim. I promise."

He couldn't believe that this fractured shell was the man he had observed only a few hours earlier: happy, full of hope, and _whole_. A suspicious wetness burned Tony's cheeks as he studied the figure before him and he scrubbed his face with a rough hand to remove the visible evidence of his grief. Finally, unable to stand the sight any longer, Tony turned away from the body of his teammate and headed for the door. He had almost reached it when he thought he heard a whisper behind him: Tim's voice, giving a simple yet impossible to follow two-word command. Tony spun around, his heart in his throat, wondering for a brief moment if this had all been a mistake, that McGee was still with them. One look told him his hopes were in vain. Tony shook his head as the words he thought he had heard ran through his mind.

"I'm so sorry, Tim," he whispered. "I _have_ to find these bastards. I'll find them even if it's the last thing I do."

He took one final look at the earthly remains of Tim McGee before leaving to joining his team. He had a job to do, and come Hell or high water, he was going to do it.

XXX

_***one year later***_

The sun's rays had just barely started to warm the sodden grass of Oakview Cemetery when the MCRT arrived at the caretaker's office. They were greeted by the groundskeeper, a surprisingly spry white-haired man. Ziva remembered that she had met him before and stepped forward.

"Mr. Wincott, I am Agent David. What can you tell us?"

Wincott surveyed the team in obvious surprise. "Yes, I remember you. I didn't really expect you to bring—"

"What happened?" Gibbs cut him off.

"Well, I was making my rounds this morning and I when I passed by that section I noticed the damage. It looks like…" He glanced around at the grim faces before him. "It looks like someone tried to dig up the grave."

"Did you see anything strange before this morning?"

"Not really. There was someone visiting the site yesterday evening, before the storm broke. A woman. She had one of those old-fashioned umbrellas…parasols, and she was wearing a long black coat. I didn't get close enough to get a good look, but I do remember she had black hair."

"Abby," said Tony, and the rest nodded. "She's a friend of…the deceased."

"Oh. She was yelling at something before she left, but I didn't see anyone else around."

"We will talk to her. You better take us to the site."

Wincott nodded and headed towards a section of the cemetery with the more recent additions. Soon the gravesite came into view and Ziva sucked in a deep breath before letting out a curse, echo by Tony and Gibbs. Even Rocco looked shocked at the scene before them, but recovered first to speak.

"Bunch of kids, maybe? Wanna be Satanists, something like that? It's the right time of year."

"Devil's night is tonight. The local cops have more patrols of this area tonight and tomorrow, but…"

"Or maybe it was the bastards who put him there in the first place," growled Tony. "Rubbing our faces in the fact that—"

"Enough talk, DiNozzo. Get to work."

The group started to unpack their equipment while Gibbs pulled Wincott aside to question him further. They approached the grave and began to document what they were seeing.

"I see pieces of wood. Was the casket-?"

"Wooden, yes. You do not think they removed…?"

"Only one way to find out." Tony handed a flashlight to Rocco, who gave him an incredulous look.

"You're kidding, right? I'm not the junior—." Tony quickly pulled him aside and spoke to him in a low voice.

"The man buried here was not only her partner, but her friend. Are you _really_ suggesting that she should have to come face to face with what might or might not be down there?"

Rocco started to protest again, but one look at the senior agent's expression silenced him and he took the flashlight. "We still need to finish documenting everything else, first."

"Then get to work."

It didn't take too long to finish the necessary photographs. The rain the night before had erased any footprints or other remnants of the perpetrators that might have remained. Finally, unable to delay the inevitable, Rocco crouched down and shined the flashlight into the ragged hole.

"It looks like the coffin was breached," he said. "I can't see anything in it, though."

"Look closer."

Rocco looked up at Gibbs. "How?"

Gibbs just stared at him. With a groan of disgust, Rocco flattened himself against the ground and leaned his head and upper body down into the hole. He shined the light as far down as he could reach. "It's definitely empty."

Gibbs turned to Wincott. "We'll need to exhume the coffin to search for more evidence."

Wincott sighed. "You get the paperwork and I'll arrange the equipment."

Ziva stood to the side, watching the exchange. She could not understand how someone could have done this…_why_ her former partner had not been allowed to lay undisturbed.

"We'll figure this out, Ziva. We'll catch these bastards."

"Yes, because we did so well in catching them before," she snapped and immediately felt a rush of shame. "I am sorry, Tony. I should not have said that."

"No, you're right. These guys seem to have the luck of the Devil himself in not getting caught, but this time…their luck has run out. We _will_ find them."

"I hope so," Ziva replied. She was remembering the first time she had stood at this grave, watching it being filled in, and the emptiness she had felt at her loss. She thought she had heard something that day, just a faint whisper, a command that she had ignored in the following weeks and months, all in vain. They had never been able to identify to men who had taken their teammate from them. She wondered if they ever would.

XXX

"_**Need some help?"**_

"_**I got it, thanks."**_

"_**Hey, what's wrong? Just trying to be friendly."**_

"_**Tim?"**_

"_**Stay in the car, Shelley."**_

"_**Aw, look at what we have here. Hey, I don't think she likes us."**_

"_**Leave her alone!"**_

_**A shot. Agony. Screams.**_

"_**NO!"**_

"_**What a pretty lady…think she should party with us, T-Bird?"**_

"_**Leave her…alone…"**_

"_**Please, don't…"**_

"_**Shut her up, Tin."**_

_**A scream. Silence.**_

_**No…**_

_**[Don't look, kid.]**_

He awoke with a gasp, the agony of memories flooding his mind._ So much pain…_

[I told you not to look.]

He raised his head, searching for the voice.

"Where…where am I?" His own voice was rough from disuse.

[Hidden.]

"What?"

[Hidden. Until tonight. You have a job to do.]

He looked around the small, dim room in which he lay: A basement, full of boxes. Cold. He was wearing only a pair of pants. He vaguely remembered pulling of his jacket and shirt, easy to remove because they were split up the back. Why would they…? Body… prepared for a funeral… Why?

"W-what happened…?"

[You know.]

Suddenly more memories came rushing in and he gripped his head in pain as they burned through his mind.

"No…please…"

[Sorry, kid.]

"Why…why am I here…?"

[Talion.]

"What?"

[Retribution. Justice. Revenge.]

"No…I can't…I don't…"

[Eye for an eye.]

"Makes...the whole world...blind."

[It already is. Blind to the horror. Blind to families destroyed. _Your_ family. Or what could have been.]

More memories…more agony…

"They took…they took my life…my love…my…"

[I know. They need to pay.]

"H-how?"

[Make them pay. Destroy them. All of them.]

"Make sure…they'll never hurt anyone ever again."

[You got it, kid.]

"But how?"

Images began to form in his mind: the faces of the men who had shattered his life, his world. Their names arose in his memory. He would find them. As he pictured their demise, the vestiges of who he was, who he had been were buried, hidden away, and what arose in its place took over.

Tim McGee was dead, but what _he_ had lost that cold October night…that loss would be avenged.

Nothing, and _no one_, would get in his way.

TBC…


End file.
